Rangers-Rays: Jeff Francoeur Draws First Blood in MLB Playoffs

Texas Rangers right fielder Jeff Francoeur has been much-maligned during the past few years, especially for his utter lack of plate discipline while playing for the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets. Texas manager Ron Washington isn't complaining.

Francoeur drove in the first run of the MLB postseason in the second inning Wednesday, smacking a double to score Ian Kinsler with no one out. He did it on the first pitch. Francoeur may be what everyone says he is: hyper-aggressive, free-swinging, and all too often a home runs hitter who does not hit home runs. But in his first October action since his rookie year in 2005, he has made an immediate impact.

On the mound, Cliff Lee continues to do what Cliff Lee always does. He has surrendered four hits in two innings of work, but has walked no one and struck out five in two innings. Texas takes a 2-0 lead to the third inning, and the Rays—who have home-field advantage and do not want to lose it, given Texas's 51-30 home record during the regular season—must now look for ways to get to Lee and make this a game again.

Thirty-nine of David Price's 43 pitches through two frames were fastballs, and Texas was all over the mid-90s heat. In a slightly overdue adjustment, Price used two curves, two change-ups, and just one fastball to retire Josh Hamilton on strikes leading off the third inning.

Unfortunately for Price, he went back to the fastball too quickly against Nelson Cruz, whose injury-truncated season was one of the overlooked outbursts of the year. On three of four pitches to Cruz, Price showed him the heat, and Cruz hit the third out of the park for a 3-0 Rangers advantage.

This is a key thing to watch as the game unfolds from here, with Price needing to work away from his fastball against Texas's strong fastball-hitting lineup.

Matt Trueblood is a student at Loyola University Chicago and B/R Writing Intern. Follow him on Twitter.